Get Involved
This island takes care of its own.
COTA Foundation is 100% volunteer-powered right now. Every dollar, every hour, and every donated box goes straight to Hawaiʻi Island families.
Donate
Financial gifts are the most flexible support we receive. They buy the hot meals we serve each week, restock hygiene kits, cover a student's certification fee, and fund the gear our youth need for the Fellowship & Service Camp. Because we are entirely volunteer-run, giving goes to the need itself rather than to salaries.
COTA Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 39-2930549. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Where your gift goes
- $25 — hygiene kits for five people at a monthly essentials day.
- $75 — hot meals for a family of four across a full month of weekly distribution.
- $250 — school supplies and clothing for several keiki heading back to class.
- $1,000 — a scholarship toward tuition, certification, or workforce training for one student.
Volunteer
Volunteers are the entire engine of this organization. We need people to cook and serve meals, pack hygiene kits, sort donated clothing, drive supplies out on mobile outreach, mentor youth through their year of service, and help with the behind-the- scenes work that keeps everything running.
You don't need a special skill or a big time commitment. Tell us what you'd enjoy and how often you're free, and we'll find a place that fits. We'll follow up personally.
Sign Up
Ready to volunteer?
Fill out our quick volunteer sign-up form and we'll match you with a role that fits your time and interests. It only takes a few minutes.
Donate Goods
In-kind donations go straight onto the tables at our distributions. Let us know what you have and we'll arrange drop-off or pickup on Hawaiʻi Island.
Current needs:
- Camping equipment — tents, sleeping bags, coolers, fishing gear
- Shelf-stable food and fresh produce
- Clothing for adults and keiki, in good condition
- Hygiene supplies — soap, toothbrushes, shampoo, diapers
- Household items — cleaning supplies, kitchen basics, bedding
- School supplies and backpacks
Why camping gear?
Our Youth Fellowship & Service Camp takes keiki out for a full week each year — Bible study, fire-building, fishing, diving, and swimming. Tents, sleeping bags, and fishing gear directly outfit youth who earned their place at camp through a year of serving their neighbors.